"Starting Scenarios for Prussians, 1813-1815" Topic

I'm new to the field of Napoleonics and am thinking about jumping in on the Prussians. My buddy is an old-hand with Napoleonics and is planning to obtain every army in 15mm. What are some good skirmishes/ engagements for 15mm Prussians? I've got no miniatures so far, and am looking for a smallish engagements in order to build a scenario around and ideally give me something to build my army toward. Any advice would be immensely appreciated.

Make sure you find rules that give the Prussians a fighting chance. Others can recommend some. Do 1813 and 1814 Prussians. They are not an easy army to win with. Too much Landwher, and most rules are not favorable to them.

Too bad I did not know you 2 to 5 years ago. I sold off a 1813 Corp of Prussians, 2 1809 corp of Austrians, plus Grenadier Division and Cuirassier Division, 2 British 1815 Divisions and a Italian-French Corp plus Italian guard, all 15mm. Only French and Russians left. But you may not live in the US.

Any of the 1813, 14 battles are good. Try to pick some without Napoleon present. But you will probably need Russians if you are going to fight with actual rosters. As they normally mixed a lot. Good luck.

Here's one possibility: the engagement at Limal late afternoon 18 June 1815, 2 miles downstream from Wavre where Grouchy has been pounding his head all day vs the Prussian III Korps. Limal is held by 3 battalions of the 19th Infantry (formerly the 7th Reserve). The invaluable site centjours.mont-saint-jean.com shows them in regulation Prussian line infantry uniform with crimson facings. They were supported by one squadron of 6th Uhlans (black uniforms). Limal has 2 bridges over the rain-soaked Dyle River. Historically the French general Pajol surprised the 19th by an unexpected cavalry charge and wiped them out, but if the Prussians had been more alert and not caught napping they would then have had to hold out versus 4 regiments of French cavalry, 5 battalions of French infantry and 2 batteries (one foot, one horse 6#). But the good news is that nightfall is only a few hours away. (Source is article by Ed Wimble and Matt DeLaMater in "Napoleon" magazine #1.)

2 days prior to this at Ligny, you can add the 3 battalions of the 4th Westphalian Landwehr (green facings) and the 6# guns of Foot Battery #15 (delightfully commanded by Lt Meerkatz!) to field the 4th Brigade of the I Korps, under MG Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck. (The other regiment of the brigade, the 13th Infantry, was detached at Mainz and not present for the battle.) This brigade was the original defense of Ligny versus the French IV Corps; after a few hours it was relieved by fresh troops.

After this, you can add to this force of 6 battalions, a Uhlan regiment, and a battery as you see fit. I wouldn't get wrapped around having exactly the right troops with exactly the right facing colors for any particular historical Order of Battle, so long as the basic troop type is correct. Good luck!

I started with Prussians in 1981, you may not sweep any other army off the table but 1813,14 Prussians are a fun army. A Brigade ( actually a division will have a Line Regiment, a reserve Regiment and a Landwehr Regiment. Toss In a 1/2 jager Battalion and a cavalry Regiment of line or landwehr and a 8 gun battery of 6pdrs just as a generic one.
Would start out each Regiment with correct facings if you want to go down this long but fun road. I have 3 corps and guard in 1 =60.

Halle: link

Hagelberg (but need some Cossacks): link

Wartenburg: link

Freiburg: link (sorry, don't know of a good online resource)

Horselberg: link (ditto)

Hoogsraten: link (there were British and Russians with the Prussian force, but the Prussians appear to have done all the fighting)

But for 1813-4, you are probably best off thinking in terms of a mixed russo-Prussian force at anything higher than divisional level.

Thanks! This advice has been invaluable. Limal seems to be the thing I want to build toward.